Sally Gunnell and Christ Boardman
Sally Gunnell, 400m hurdles Olympic gold medallist, and Chris Boardman, Olympic cycling gold medal winner and world record holder, have challenged each other to find the easiest and quickest route across London to the Olympic Park.
This race has been inspired by new research from London 2012 and Transport for London (TfL) which reveals 86 per cent of central London businesses are planning one or more initiatives to encourage employees to consider alternative forms of transport. Of this, 60 per cent of businesses will encourage their staff to walk or cycle.
And it’s not just London that will be affected, of course. With Olympic and Paralympic events happening across Britain, public transport in those regions will be affected as well.
As part of the London 2012 and TfL challenge, Sally ran and Chris cycled from Liverpool Street station to the Stour Space opposite the Olympic Park on the River Lea. The aim was to demonstrate to businesses and their employees there are alternative modes of transport during the Games.
Sally Gunnell and Chris Boardman have produced some top tips to help employers and employees look into alternative transport options during the Games.
Sally and Chris’ top tips:
1. Make the most of the commute, walk down to the next bus stop or get off a stop early.
2. Plan your business travel, if you have a meeting that is a walkable distance, walk instead of getting public transport or using the road network.
3. Invest in a pedometer– they are a great way to get employees thinking about how much walking you really do.
4. Start a running club.
5. Plan journeys in advance.
6. Start a cycling or running community at work
7. Hop on a Barclays Cycle Hire bike
Watch our video to see who won the race and how you can plan your journeys effectively during the Olympics.